Since I have recently reached the middles stages of my early adulthood, I have naturally began to reflect on the previous years of my life. I am an admitted audiophile, so music has definitely been a significant part of this retrospective. Like any aging person, I have found myself increasingly frustrated with the current state of music, preferring to immerse myself in the heroes of yesteryear, who are automatically superior to any artist of today (no matter how wack they were once considered).  Of particular menace has been the disappearance of the “underground” as not only an identifiable identity, but a force.

In my high school years, almost ten years ago, underground hip hop signified music and lifestyle counter to the mainstream. It was a collective push for independence and creativity in the face of gross commercialization. There was no one definition of underground hip hop. You had backpackers, hardcore, crate-diggers, turntablists, freestylers, gangsta, political, and Wu-Tang was a movement all to itself. By no means am I applying any quality value to the underground movement. There was probably just as much crap as their was amazing material. The underground was, however,  a commitment to musical freedom that cats like me were able to apply to their everyday lives.

Today, I have trouble locating and identifying underground hip hop. I know it’s there. Outside of old familiar faces, artists such as Blu & Exile, Curren$y, and the Mob Figaz collective have held it down in recent years. However, I feel like the artists considered underground today are either Kanye clones or fake skateboarders, and both would quickly quickly sell their soul and their mamas just to sniff the jock of mainstream stardom.

I can’t blame them for that. Over the last ten years, hip hop has become a lucrative occupation even if you’re not a superstar like Jay-Z. Who doesn’t want to be rich? However, I have a problem with cats trying to get rich off a faux-underground identity. Most of these artists aren’t underground, they’re sub-mainstream, calling themselves underground while aggressively relaying messages about the variety and quantity of their “swag.” Back in the day, underground artists began with buzz. They got their names out by dropping 12′s (vinyl singles) and eventually they rose through the ranks. Nowadays, these guys come out of no where, most often riding someone else coattails (Kid Cudi, Drake). I should have saw this coming. I should have said something when Mos Def first put on the apple jack hat. I should have spoke up when Common first put on the grandma sweater. But I didn’t, so I bare some responsibility.  The underground is now a means to an end and I hate it.

From 1997 – 2004, the underground was fertile and produced some of my favorite joints ever. Because I’m a good guy, I’m going to share some of those with you. These aren’t just songs. They’re markers of my identity from the beginnings of high school to the final years of college. Props to those who continue to hold down the underground….

UNDERGROUND HIP HOP (1997 – 2004)

Rawkus Records was like the hub on underground hip hop in the late 1990s. They were home to many of the underground stars at some point, Company Flow, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Cage, Pharaoh Monche, Big L, High and Mighty plus more. Rawkus held it down until they tried to go mainstream and failed. That reminds me…I find it funny that so many claim to be fans of that Black Star album because, when it dropped in ’98, it was by all means underground. I guess it’s gotten a lot of retroactive popularity. Dope.

Black Star “Respiration”

Company Flow “8 Steps to Perfection”

Eminem “Any Man” (from Sounbombing II compilation. classic)

In the 1990s, Ras Kass was one of the most heralded lyricists alive. Though held back by questionable shotty production, his Soul On Ice is a lyrical beatdown. The listener is left exhausted due to Kass’s fiery delivery, lyrics, and content. Ras Kass’s stab at the mainstream, Rassassination (1998), but continued to kill guest appearances and singles until his legal troubles in early 2000. “Evil That Men Do” is a track from Soul On Ice and is Ras at his best.

Ras Kass “Evil That Men Do”

The Bay’s Hieroglyphics Crew (Del the Funky Homosapien, Souls of Mischief, Pep Love, Casual) were from an earlier generation, but held it down in the late 90s. “You Never Knew” is from their 1998 crew album 3rd Eye Vision.

The Living Legends are another California based collective that has produced heat for over years. I’m a huge fan of Murs and The Grouch, but their crew is full of dope MCs.

Murs “Varsity Blues”

Zion I f/The Grouch “Silly Puddy”

Living Legends “Nothing Less”

The Screwed Up Click is the Houston collective that pioneered the screwed & chopped sound that has become popular all over the country. Though clearly a different sound then the previous artists, The S.U.C was by all means “underground.”

Z-Ro “I Found Me”

Fat Pat, Lil Keke, Boo “Freestyle”

The members of Def Jux label have recorded for various labels over the years but eventually came together in the early 2000s. During that period the roster was bananas: El-P, Cannibal Ox, Aesop Rock, Cage, Murs, C-Rayz Walz, Mr. Lif, RJD2 and more. I was blessed to see them perform numerous times in Austin, Tx and I always got my money’s worth.

Aesop Rock “Daylight”

Cage “54″

Cannibal Ox “Iron Galaxy

MF Doom’s Operation Doomsday is one greatest albums I’ve every heard. The underground offered a space for artists to be creative, experimental, and outright bizarre if they wanted to be. MF Doom was, and continues to be, all of those things. Maybe Doom was weird, bizarre I reserve for Kool Keith.

Atmosphere (Slug), Brother Ali, and the rest of the Rhymesayers collective have blessed the game with their highly lyrical and emotive brand of music for over a decade. If you ask me, Slug is one of the best artists in music, period.

Atmosphere “God’s Bathroom Floor”

“The Woman With the Tattooed Hands”

“Denvermolorado”

Jedi Mind Tricks and 7L & Esoteric (Army of the Pharaohs) were two of my favorite groups during that period. JMT were hard-to-the-core and Esoteric destroyed mics. Saw them multiple times in concert.

Jedi Mind Tricks “I Against I”

7L & Esoteric “Be Alert”

What can I say about D.I.T.C.? The group consists(ed?) of some of the most legendary figures in New York’s hardcore scene. Lord Finesse, Big L, O.C., Diamond D, Showbiz & A.G., DJ Premier. no more words…rip Big L

Big L “Ebonics”

O.C. f/Big L “Dangerous”

Peace to Bumpy Knuckles, Rasco, Planet Asia, Dilated Peoples, Boot Camp Click, Swollen Members, Kool Keith, Lootpack, Killah Priest, South Park Coalition, Likwit Crew, Anticon, Zion I, Styles of Beyond, Akrobatik, Jurassic 5, Tame One, Arsonists, Tragedy Khadafi, Aceyalone, Blackalicious, Non Phixion, Necro and all the other underground artists that held it down and continue to do so.

P.S.: Let me know about any dope underground artists you are listening to.